Collapsible back for signs.



R. LAWRENCE. COLLAPSIBLE BACK FOR SIGNS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 1910.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

-UNITED sTATEs PATENT onnion. y

HAImIsoN a. LAwnENen or cHIeAec, ILLINOIS.

QOLLAISILE IlBAGK FOR SIGNS.

To allfwh'om, t may concern:

Be it` known that I, HARRISON R. LAw- RENoE,a citizen of the United States, resid ing vat Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certainY new and useful Improvement in Collapsible Backs for Signs, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact ytile;-icription of the same, such as will enablepthers 'skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and usel ythe saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this speciication.

` a knock-down or collapsible housing.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with partieularity in# the claims; but for a full understanding oli my invention and of its object Aand advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection,

with the accompanyingl drawing, wherein:

` Fig. 3 is a vertical central sectioii I*`ig. 4 isv Figure 1 is a rear View of a sign ai'- ranged ln accordance with a preferred form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a bottom View;

a section on line 4-4 of Fig. l; and Fig. 5 is aview illustrating the collapsible back ina flattened condition.

' Referring to the drawing, A. represents a suitable front piece of any usual form orv construction. In the arrangement shown this piece is in the form ot a rectangular Aframe having a transparent or translucent center B.

C, l), and E are guides secured to the rear face of the member A so as tob'orinl three sides of a rectangle. These guides' may be i'orined in any suitable manner, conveniently by fastening three Z-bars to the frame.

F is a vcollapsible back made of a fiat sheetof tin or other suitable material cut approximately in the form of a trapezoid, the longer of the two .sides which correspond to vSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18,1913.

Application filed March 5, 1910. Serial No. 547,425.

the two parallel sides of a trapezoid being curved slightly as at f. rIhe edge f oppo site the edge f vis of a length l equal to the ydistance between the two parallel guides I) and E. yThe back member is slipped between lthe guides `D and E with the edge f 1n advance, and is 'pushed along these guides until the edge f enters the guide C. As the back member is forced in place it bulges gradually from the edge -f to the edge feo. .as to bring the two other edges/gland Vf3 The back meinparallel with each other. bei consequently takes the form of a rounded wedge-when in place. Coperating with the front piece and vthe back meinber is an end or bottom member G which is shaped to .correspond with the opening between the end of' the backl member and the front piece and is provided with a laterally extending flange g which overlies Athe outer surtace of the back member so as to make a tight joint. In order -to make a' tight Joint between the member G and the front piece, the latter is preferably provided in 1ts rear face with-a groove a into which the adjacent' ed -e of the end or bottom piece '.pi'ojects.;- T e end member maybe looked to'. the front piece and to `the back in any suitable way so that after the parts are assembled they will be securely tied together.

For the purpose .of detachablylocking the end `piece tothe front piece I provide a dog 1 H which `ispivotally mounted on the front' piece in position` to swing through an open ing g kin the end piece. The locking device between the back member and the end piece may conveniently take the form of a spring catch I carriedby the ormer and projecting over theedge vof the latter.

I have found that thereis a tendency on the part of the back memberl to flatten at the center near the free edge thereof and, 1n order to stiften it, I fpiefer to dishit at this point by pressing the natal inwardly or outwardly -asindicated at l. I prefer to press the inetal outwardly since this d larges the housing at this point and al'fords` ample roem for a lamp L or other illuminatiiig device Without unnecessarily increasing the depth et the housing. The dished portion, in additionto stii'leningA the back member prevent-ing it trom iattt when placed in position, has the in.. funbtion serving fas-a. reflector for the rays ot light emanatingfrom 'the illuminating device in front otit'. 0f course in 'lill the inner side be left bright order to serve as a reflector, of the back member should While the outer side may be painted or decorated in any suitable manner. The lamp L may conveniently be mounted on the end or bottom member G so that by taking this member olf the lamp comes off arrangements which fall within the terms employed in the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

that Ir claim is:

1.111 a housing, a t'ront piece having guides running across the top and down the sides, a flexible bat-lt member shaped t0 with it. tit. into said guide 'l said back member being It will be seen thatl the edge f of the back made wider adjacent to the lower edge than member is made Curved so that when this the distance between the guides at that member is sprung in lposition the open end point so as to canse the lower portion theremay be closed by a flat plate. lt is possible of to bulge outwardly from the front piece. to obtain a housing of sulicient depth with 2. ln a housing, a front piece having a back member whose longest edge is no guides ruiming across the top and down f longer than the front piece so that for the sides, a flexible bat-.lt member shaped to shi pin the housing the part-s may be delit into said guides, said back member being tac ed groin each other and the back memmade wider adjacent to tht` lower edge than ber laid flat upon the front piece without the distance between the guides at that leaving projecting ends which might be point sons to canse the lower portion there damaged in transit. Furthermore the joints of to bulge outwardly front the f ront piece, around the-back piece may easily be made said baek'pieee having a section thereof at. tight Without interfering .Vith the ready the center and near the bottom pressed ont assembly of the parts and thus make the wardtyY so as to render it less flexible at this device 'simple and convenient without per? point. l mitting the light to' pass through the back .ln testimony whereof, l sign this speciliportiloills itflter thle1 part are assembled. cation in the present-e of two witnesses.

1i e I lave i ustra ed and described in a 1 1 t t detail only a single preferred formof my HARILSO RY LAWRENl/L' invent-ion I do not desire to be limited to the Witnesses: specific details so illustrated and described; WM. 1". lfnnnnnnlucien, but intend covering all` constructions and fH. S. Garrnnn. 

